Hat box



Jan. 2, 1968 v. A. ADAMS ET AL 3,361,323

HAT BOX I I Filed Nov. 2:5, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR VINCENT A. ADAMS 8 LAWRENCE ,J. GROWNEY BY memg fiu w E E M ATTORNEYS Jan. 2, 1968 v. A. ADAMS ET AL 3,361,323

HAT BOX 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 25, 1965 INVENTORS 5 mo: 85 55 E E 0? 1m? 3 mm mm 5 mnQHwH wv mm mm mm rl. m mm mm 3 K om M 3 3 ww a 1 g 3 3 W 3 mm mm mm LE N Q mm 3 mw 3 1.. mm

mm in 8 g S VINCENTA. ADAMS a LAWRENCE J.

United States Patent 3,361,323 HAT BOX Vincent A. Adms and Lawrence J. Growney, Pearl River, N.Y., assignors to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N .Y., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 569,334 Claims. (Cl. 22923) ABSTRACT OF TEE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a novel hat box or carton, and is particularly directed to novel means for interlockingly securing a carton body to a closure of the carton. The carton includes a plurality of tabs of a generally inverted U-shaped configuration, and generally inverted U-shaped slits are formed in an inner panel of a multi-ply peripheral skirt of the closure. The slits open in a direction opposite to the direction in which the tabs project, and the engagement between edges of the slits and tabs effectively unite the closure and the carton body.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel carton particularly adapted for containing a hat comprising a generally tubular body having axially opposite end portions, an end closure closing one of the end portions, locking means for securing the end closure to the one end portion, the locking means being defined by a plurality of interlocked slits and tabs of the closure and the one end portion, the closure having an end panel, and the tabs being struck from the carton body and directed away from the end panel in interlocking engagement with slits formed in the one end portion of the carton body.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel carton of the type including a generally tubular carton body having a lower end portion and an end member closing the lower end portion, a plurality of tabs struck from the body adjacent the lower end portion and directed toward an upper end portion of the body, the tabs terminating in free edges, the end member comprising an end panel and a peripheral skirt having inner and outer peripheral skirt portions, the peripheral skirt being in external telescopic relationship with respect to the lower end portion of the carton body, slit means defirdng a plurality of edges in the inner peripheral skirt portion, and the edges of the tabs and the edges of the slit means being in abutting interlocking engagement whereby the end member is interlockingly secured to the carton body.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel carton of the type immediately above-described in which the peripheral skirt is of a generally polygonal configuration forming a plurality of corners between adjacent portions of the peripheral skirt, and means are provided for reinforcingly securing together adjacent portions of the skirt at the corners.

With the above and other objects in View that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top perspective view of a novel hat box or carton constructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrates an end member or closure secured to a lower end portion of a carton body.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary exploded top perspective view of the carton body and closure of FIGURE 1 prior to being assembled, and illustrates a plurality of tabs and slits formed in the respective carton body and closure.

FIGURE 3 is a high enlarged elevational view of the encircled area of FIGURE 1, and illustrates the inter- "ice 2 locking relationship of one of the tabs and one of the slits.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 44 of FIGURE 3, and more clearly illustrates the interlocking engagement between the tabs and slits of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along line 5-5 of FIGURE 1, and illustrates a plurality of interlocked tabs and slits, and means defining reinforced securing corners of the end member.

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of a blank from which the end member or closure of FIGURES 1 through 5 is constructed, and illustrates a plurality of pairs of panels prior to being folded and secured to form the peripheral skirt of the closure.

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of a carton blank from which the carton body of FIGURES 1 through 5 is formed, and illustrates a plurality of identical panels foldable to impart the generally polygonal shape configuration to the carton body.

A novel carton constructed in accordance with this invention is best illustrated in FIGURE 1 of the drawings, and is generally referred to by the reference numeral It The carton or box 10 is adapted to receive hats or similar individual articles, and comprises a generally tubular carton body 11 and an end member or closure 12. The carton body 11 is preferably constructed from a single sheet material blank 13 (FIGURE 7) while the closure 12 is similarly constructed from a single blank 14 (FIG- URE 6).

Referring to FIGURE 6 of the drawings in particular, the closure or end member blank 14 includes an end panel 15 defined by a plurality of fold lines 16 through 23. The fold lines 16 through 23 impart a generally octagonal shape to the end panel 15, but it is to be understood that other polygonal configurations could be imparted to the end panel 15 by decreasing or increasing the number of existing fold lines 16 through 23.

Panels 24 through 31 are joined to the end panel 15 along the respective fold lines 16 through 23. Each of the panels 24 through 31 is substantially rectangular in configuration and the even numbered panels (panels 24, 26, 28 and 30) are provided with securing and reinforcing tabs 32, 33. The odd numbered panels 25, 27, 29 and 31 are devoid of tabs corresponding to the tabs 32, 33. The flgnction of the tabs 32, 33 will be more apparent herea ter.

Another plurality of panels 34 through 41 are joined to the respective panels 24 through 31 along respective fold lines 44 through 51. The panels 34 through 41 are substantially identical to the panels 24 through 31 and are similarly of a generally rectangular configuration. The panels 34, 36, 38 and 40 are provided with securing and reinforcing tabs 52, 53 corresponding to the tabs 32, 33

" associated with the respective panels 24, 26, 28 and 30.

The odd numbered panels 35, 37, 39 and 41 are associated with the panels 25, 27, 29 and 31 and are devoid of flaps corresponding to the flaps 52, 53.

Each of the panels 34 through 41 is provided with an identical tab 55. Each tab 55 is of a generally shallow U-shaped configuration and is formed by a cut line 56. The tabs 55 normally lies in the planes of the panels 34 through 41 but are adapted for movement outwardly thereof as will be more apparent hereinafter for forming portions of cooperative interlocking means maintaining the closure 12 and the carton body 11 in assembled relationship.

The closure blank 14 is formed into the closure 12 by folding the panels 24 through 31 about the respective fold lines 16 through 23 until the panels 24 through 31 are substantially normal to the end panel 15 (FIGURES 2 and 4). In this position of the blank 14 the tabs 32, 33 are positioned internally of the associated adjacent panels 25, 27, 29 and 31, as is best illustrated in FIGURE of the drawings particularly with respect to the tabs 32, 33 of the panel 28 which respectively overlie inner surfaces of the panels 27, 29.

The panels 34, 36, 38 and 40 are than folded about the respective fold lines 44, 46, 48 and 50 until the panels 34, 36, 38 and 40 are in overlying relationship with the respective panels 24, 26, 28 and 30. This folding also brings the flaps 52, 53 of the panels 34, 36, 38 and 40 into overlying relationship with the respective flaps 32, 33 of the panels 24, 26, 28 and 30, as is again best illustrated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings relative to the overlying relationship of the fiaps 33, 53 and 32, 52 of the panels 28, 38.

The panels 35, 37, 39 and 41 are then folded about the respective fold lines 45, 47, 49 and 51 until each panel 35, 37, 39 and 41 overlies an associated pair of flaps 33, 53 and 52, 32 as shown best in FIGURE 5 of the drawings with respect to the panels 37 and 39. Conventional staples or similar securing means, generally referred to by the reference numeral 59 secure the various flaps and panels together at each of a plurality of corners 60, as is best illustrated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings.

It is to be noted that the staples 59 are secured through four plies of material at each corner 60, thus providing efficient reinforcement at each secured corner.

In the fully assembled condition of the closure 12 (FIG- URES l and 2), the closure 12 includes a generally tubular body (unnumbered) defined by a peripheral skirt 61. The peripheral skirt 61 is defined by the interconnected panels 24 through 31 and 34 through 41. The peripheral skirt 61 includes an exterior peripheral skirt portion 62 defined by the exterior panels 24 through 31 and an interior peripheral skirt portion 63 defined by the interior panels 34 through 41.

The carton body blank 13 of FIGURE 7 for forming the carton body 11 is a generally rectangular member defined by a longitudinal edge 70, an opposite longitudinal edge 71 broken by a plurality of identical notches 72, and opposite transverse edges 73, 74. A longitudinal fold line 75 parallel to the edges 71, 70 extends substantially the entire length of the blank 13 between the transverse edges 73, 74 and is closely adjacent the longitudinal edge 71.

A plurality of transverse fold lines 76 through 83 between and normal to the longitudinal edge 70 and the longitudinal fold line 75 divides the blank 13 into a plurality of body panels 84 through 91 and a securing flap 92. Each of the body panels 84 through 91 is of a generally rectangular configuration and is joined to respective flaps 104 through 111 along the fold line 75.. An identical tab 115 is formed in each of the body panels 84 through 91 by a generally inverted U-shaped score line 120 having a bight portion (unnumbered) and base portions (also unnumbered) converging toward the fold line 75. The tabs 115 are thereby normally directed away from the fold line 75 and are also normally positioned in the planes of the body panels 84 through 91.

The body blank 13 is formed into the carton body 11 by folding the body panels 84 through 91 and the securing flap 92 about the respective fold lines 76 through 83 until the securing flap 92 internally overlies an edge of the body panel 84, as is best illustrated in FIGURE 1 of the drawings.

The securing flap 92 is adhesively secured to the body panel 84, but staples or other suitable means may be employed in lieu thereof.

The flaps 104 through 111 are then folded radially inwardly about the fold line 75 to the positions illustrated in FIGURES l and 2 of the drawings.

After the carton body 11 and the closure 12 have been 7 assembled in the manner just described, these components are secured to one another to form the assembled carton by merely inserting the carton body 11 into the closure or end member 12 such that the peripheral skirt 62 of the 4 latter is in external telescopic relationship to a lower end portion 121 of the carton body 11. The tabs are 'then manually or mechanically forced radially outwardly from their normal coplanar positions relative to the body panels 84 through 91, as is best illustrated in FIGURE 4 of the drawings. As each tab 115 is forced radially outwardly an associated edge thereof, generally referred to by the reference numeral 122,; engages beneath an associated free edge 123 defined by a portion of the cut line 56 in each of the panels 34 through 31. Inasmuch as the free edge 122 of each tab 115 is longer than the free edge 123 of each of the slits the tabs 115 are bowed slightly convexly upwardly, as best illustrated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings, and only a central portion of each edge 122' engages an opposing edge 123 of the closure 12. It is to be particularly noted that the tabs 115 do not enter the openings defined by the slits 120 and only edge-to-edge contact between the edges 122, 123 maintain the carton body 11 and end closure 12 in assembled relationship.

It is also possible to interlockingly secure the carton body 11 to the closure 12 by forcing the tabs 115 radially outwardly of the lower end portion 121 prior to inserting the lower end portion 121 into the closure 12.

After the tabs 115 are forced radially outwardly the nat ural resilience of the material from which the body 11 is constructed maintains the tabs 115 projecting radially outwardly of the plane of the panels 84 through 91. As the carton body 11 is inserted into the closure 12, the tabs 115 are initially forced back toward their planar positions relative to the panels 84 through 91. However, as the edges 121 of the tabs pass beneath the edges 123 of the slits 120 the tabs 115 spring back toward a more radially outward position forcing the material surrounding the slits 56 outwardly to bring the edges 122, 123 into opposed abutting relationship. In this manner, the edges 122, 123 of the tabs 115 and the members 55, respectively, define an interlocking means for maintaining the carton body 11 and end closure 12 in assembled relationship in the absence of auxiliary securing means, such as adhesives, staples or similar conventional means.

After the carton body 10 has been assembled as illustrated in FIGURE 1 of the drawings, a hat ora similar article is inserted therein and a suitable closure (not shown) is employed to close the upper end portion (unnumbered) of the carton 10.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provisions have been made for carrying out the desired end. However, attention is again directed to the fact that additional variations may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A carton particularly adapted for containing a hat or similar article comprising a generally tubular carton body having axially opposite end portions, a plurality of tabs struck from a first of said body end portions and being directed toward a second opposite end portion of said body, said tabs terminating in free edges, a closure for closing said first end portion, said closure including an end panel and a peripheral skirt, said peripheral skirt being in externally telescoped relationship relative to said first end portion, means defining a plurality of edges of said skirt, said edges being in opposed contacting relationship thereby maintaining said body and closure in interlocked assembled relationship, said peripheral skirt being formed of a plurality of pairs of overlapped inner and outer panels, means securing adjacent ones of said panels in assembled relationship, said means defining the plurality of edges being slits in said inner panels, said tabs being generally of an inverted U-shaped configuration and said slots include edges which have an effective length which is shorter than bight portions of said tabs.

2. The carton as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said slits is also of an inverted U-shaped configuration, and said slits open in a direction opposite to the direction 75 n whi h s id tabs pr j 3. The carton as defined in claim 1 wherein said means securing adjacent ones of said panels in assembled relationship is a terminal flap of one of said panels sandwiched between and secured to the adjacent pair of said overlapped inner and outer panels.

4. The carton as defined in claim 1 wherein said slits are each of a predetermined length, and the edges of said tabs are of a length shorter than said predetermined length whereby said edges are in partial contacting relationship along the length thereof.

5. The carton as defined in claim 1 wherein said tabs are defined by a pair of spaced side edges and a bight edge therebetween, and said side edges diverge in a direction toward said bight edge.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,683,192 9/1928 Huye 229-23 2,025,589 12/1935 Huye 229-23 2,726,803 12/1955 Ketler 229-23 10 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

R. PESHOCK, Examiner. 

